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Market potential of new plant‐based protein alternatives: Insights from four US consumer experiments

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  • Glynn T. Tonsor
  • Jayson L. Lusk
  • Ted C. Schroeder

Abstract

This article reports results from four studies determining the US market potential for plant‐based meat alternatives in different contexts and settings. The first study shows that a pair‐wise choice between beef and a plant‐based alternative was not significantly affected by the presence of nutrition facts panels or ingredient lists. A second study, framed as a food service meal choice, reveals that the introduction of a plant‐based burger has roughly the same effect on beef sales as does the presence of a chicken wrap. The final two studies estimate own‐ and cross‐price elasticities of retail demand. We find small cross‐price elasticities between plant‐based patties and ground beef. Each of the aforementioned results varies for regular meat consumers as compared to consumers who self‐identify with an alternative diet such as flexitarian, vegetarian, or vegan. Combined, this study increases understanding of the impact presented by plant‐based offerings in the US protein market.

Suggested Citation

  • Glynn T. Tonsor & Jayson L. Lusk & Ted C. Schroeder, 2023. "Market potential of new plant‐based protein alternatives: Insights from four US consumer experiments," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 164-181, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:45:y:2023:i:1:p:164-181
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13253
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glynn T. Tonsor & Robert S. Shupp, 2011. "Cheap Talk Scripts and Online Choice Experiments: "Looking Beyond the Mean"," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 93(4), pages 1015-1031.
    2. Riccardo Scarpa & Raffaele Zanoli & Viola Bruschi & Simona Naspetti, 2013. "Inferred and Stated Attribute Non-attendance in Food Choice Experiments," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 95(1), pages 165-180.
    3. Glynn T. Tonsor, 2011. "Consumer inferences of food safety and quality," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 38(2), pages 213-235, June.
    4. Apostolidis, Chrysostomos & McLeay, Fraser, 2016. "Should we stop meating like this? Reducing meat consumption through substitution," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 74-89.
    5. Jayson L. Lusk & Glynn T. Tonsor, 2016. "How Meat Demand Elasticities Vary with Price, Income, and Product Category," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(4), pages 673-711.
    6. Jayson L. Lusk & Ted C. Schroeder & Glynn T. Tonsor, 2014. "Editor's choice Distinguishing beliefs from preferences in food choice," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 41(4), pages 627-655.
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    Cited by:

    1. Darnell Holt & Peter Slade & Jill Hobbs, 2024. "Do consumers care about clean labels? Willingness to pay for simple ingredient lists and front‐of‐package labels on beef and plant‐based burgers," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 72(1), pages 5-21, March.
    2. Petr Prochazka & Jana Soukupova & Josef Abrham & Kevin J. Mullen & Karel Tomsik & Lukas Cechura & Inna Cabelkova & Lubos Smutka, 2025. "Protein consumption in Europe: Sustainability, tradition, and policy implications," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 1124-1135, February.
    3. Nouve, Yawotse & Zheng, Yuqing & Zhao, Shuoli & Kaiser, Harry M. & Dong, Diansheng, 2024. "A detailed demand analysis of plant-based meat alternatives vs. animal-based meat in the United States," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343798, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Zhaoxin Liu & Erik Ansink, 2024. "Price elasticities of meat, fish and plant-based meat substitutes: evidence from store-level Dutch supermarket scanner data," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 24-046/VIII, Tinbergen Institute.
    5. Meike Rombach & Xiaomeng Lucock & David L. Dean, 2023. "No Cow? Understanding US Consumer Preferences for Plant-Based over Regular Milk-Based Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Lingxiao Wang & Wenying Li & Yuqing Zheng, 2024. "Does the advertising of plant‐based burgers attract meat consumers? The influence of new product advertising on consumer responses," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(3), pages 680-698, July.

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